President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration on the evening of Dec. 3 sent shockwaves reverberating around the world. For many international observers, it was seen as part of a broader trend of right-wing leaders instigating democratic reversals.

But in South Korea, it was a blast from the past. The words “martial law” were thought to be consigned to history textbooks. Older South Koreans recalled the curfews and campus protests of their youth.

Younger generations, educated about past abuses under military rule, reacted with alarm and disbelief, remembering lessons about tortured students, imprisoned opposition leaders and deadly crackdowns on democracy protests.